High-Level Radioactive Waste Glass Synthesis at Low Temperatures

A low-temperature waste glass synthesis method for reducing the volatilization of radioactive high-level liquid waste (HLLW) components and the corrosion of furnace materials has been developed on a laboratory scale. This method is a sol-gel method, using the gel formation reaction of a sodium silicate solution in combination with calcination and sintering processes. Experiments to investigate the method’s feasibility were conducted with nonradioactive simulated HLLW, and the glass obtained was characterized by infrared and Mössbauer spectroscopy. It was concluded that the radioactive waste glass synthesis was achieved by calcination at ∼600°C.